Fuck he looked hot in faded jeans and a green button-down; the tats on his arms exposed. Even the chunky watch he wore on his wrist added to his fatal attraction. Reed was more tanned than usual. I had seen some images of him on Instagram in Saint Moritz, so go figure. His hair was still a rich dark brown and was messy like he’d run his hands through it a hundred times. It tended to curl against his forehead, and I remembered sticking my fingers through the tendrils as I’d lie against his naked chest.
Reed’s astute, striking eyes peered down his strong, straight nose as he took in my position. His eyelashes had always been ridiculously long, almost pretty, but his mouth; that was where he held the most power.
I shook back my hair and glared up at him. “V—Very funny,” I stammered, feeling like a moron.
He tilted his head and watched me with an arrogance only the uber-rich could deliver. I understood that look as I saw it all the time in the circles I moved in. “That’s quite the welcome, Teacup.”
“Please don’t call me that,” I muttered, attempting to stand with dignity. My words rang around the room.
He raised his eyebrows and pulled the door open wider, stepping inside. “What should I call you? Doc?” Fuck he smelled good. He was like a solid wall of muscle above me, my eyes almost level with his crotch.
“Doctor Summers would be my preference,” I replied tartly, shuffling backwards and trying to find my footing.
“Why so formal? It’s not like we don’t know each other.”
“I get that, and that’s why I’d prefer to keep things as professional as possible between us, considering our past.”
“You’re the one on your knees,” he pointed out. His sexual expression was porn encapsulated. If I joined him in that headspace, I would be in trouble, fast.
Dragging my foot forward, I placed my stocking foot on the floor, “Indeed.”
As I went to stand, Reed stepped forward, the door resting on his back as he extended his hand. “Here.”
I placed my fingers in his, ignoring that bolt of electricity that shot up my arm.
Once I was on my feet, I scanned the floor for my missing shoe. Reed beat me to it, bending over and grabbing my stiletto from the floor before handing it over.
“See. I can be a gentleman.”
“Thank you,” I replied ungraciously as I snatched the heel from his hand. His scent hit me again, and I wanted to bury my head against his neck.
Reed’s smile turned wolfish as he scrubbed a hand through his hair. “It was on the tip of my tongue to say ‘while you’re down there.”
Rolling my eyes, I took a step back and slid my shoe onto my foot. “Nice. Well, I’m glad you restrained yourself.” My tone of voice was far from its usual level of assertiveness.
I pulled my skirt down and rightened my blouse as he stepped fully into the room and the door closed behind him. “Baby, you have no idea,” Reed added smoothly, looking me up and down. Was it my imagination, or did he look taller? He’d bulked out more, but I swear I never had to crane my neck that much to keep eye contact. I was of average height, but in heels, I had expected our heads to be much closer.
Twisting away, I moved to the window which overlooked the lot, before turning back to face him. He was lounging by the door, looking extremely relaxed, and I hated how composed he was compared to me.
“Why don’t you take a seat? We should get started, we only have thirty minutes,” I explained, still flustered.
His brow crunched, “I don’t need thirty minutes, I’m not that fucked up.”
“Really? From the VT I saw, I beg to differ.”
“What? What did I do that was so terrible?” he stated, walking towards me.
“You attacked a guy in the middle of a game,” I pointed out with a head tilt.
“So, he was a dirty player.”
“He was on your team! You also threatened a member of the press with sticking their mic where the sun doesn’t shine, if what I read is true.”
“So,” Reed grunted moodily.
“Well, that type of behavior doesn’t exactly scream, well-adjusted beacon of contentment and emotional maturity now, does it?”
He didn’t reply straight away, just stopped a few feet away, rolled his shoulders, and then rubbed the back of his neck. Reed then raised his eyes back to mine.
